Syndicate
Navigation
mugwort
Mugwort
Wed, 07/02/2008 - 11:11 — DawnBlackBotanical Name:
Artemisia Vulgaris
Zones:
most
Other Names:
Common wormwood, wild wormwood, Felon herb, St. John's Plant, Chrysanthemum weed, sailor's tobacco, moxa, Artemis Herb, Naughty Man, Old man, Old Uncle Henry, Muggons
Mugwort is a member of the daisy family (Asteracea) with characteristic disk flowers in panicles,(flower made up of many small flowers, in groups, several off the same stem) very small, reddish or gre
Propagation:
Prefers nitrogenous soil, lots of sun, very hardy. Spreads by an underground root system, so care must be taken that they don't escape. Do not over water. This plant is nearly impossible to kill. Save yourself a hassle and plant it in a pot!
History and Folklore:
The name Mugwort is said to have come from the plant's traditional use of flavoring drinks- which you drink out of mugs, see?
Another theory suggests that the name came from a word meaning "moth" alluding to the plant's usefulness at keeping away pests.
"Wort" is an old term for "plant", especially one of a useful nature.
Roman soldiers put mugwort in their sandals to keep their feet from getting tired.
In Holland and Germany the plant was considered sacred to John the Baptist who presumably wore a girdle of Mugwort. The plants are gathered on St. John's Eve, made into a crown and worn to protect from possession, disease and general misfortune.
Poultry and grazing animals enjoy this plant, and it may be the same Artemisia of Pontos lauded by the ancients as excellent for fattening livestock.
In Wales, mugwort was tied to the left thigh of a woman having a difficult labor. But it was believed that if the mugwort was not immediately removed after the birth, she might hemorrhage.
Harvesting & Storage:
Harvest shortly before the plant flowers and hang to dry.
Collect the root in autumn. Wash and dry thoroughly and spread on a screen to dry. Do not let the roots touch one another or they may mold.
Household Use:
Dried mugwort added to a fire is useful in keeping it smoldering for a long time. The stalks make good kindling.
Mugwort's long stems and nifty leaves make great wreathes and garlands.
An infusioni of Mugwort, or Mugwort oil is a good all-purpose cleaner and insect repellant.
Magical Attributes:
Alli varieties of Artemesia are sacred to the Goddess Artemis who gives comfort (or death) to women in labor. Also, Diana through association and Hekate, Patron of herbalists and midwives.
It is also associated with the moon which in turn is associated with the cycles of womanhood.
Mugwort is feminine in nature, associated with the element of Earth, and either Venus or the Moon (depends who you ask) and ruled by either Taurus or Libra.
Mugwort can be used as a sacred smoking or smudgingi herb for protection or divinationi. It is safe to smoke (as safe as smoking anything is) by itself, mixed with tobacco, or other smokeables in a rituali context and enhances astral projection, lucid dreaming and altered states of consciousness. Some say that simply keeping mugwort under your pillow or in your bedroom will encourage prophetic dreams. (Try making a dream pillow stuffed with mugwort.) Others say you must burn it as incense or smoke it. Burn mugwort as you use divination tools.
Mugwort is also used in protective sachets, especially those created in relation to travel. It is said to prevent delays, and other annoyances associated with traveling, as well as to protect the traveler from accidents, thieves and other dangers associated with traveling.
Mugwort stems also make very nice wands.
Use herbal water made of mugwort to cleanse ritual tools, especially those used for divination.
Hanging mugwort over or on a door will keep unwelcome energies from passing through.
A garland or girdle of mugwort can be worn while dancing around the midsummer balefirei and thrown into the fire at the end of the night to ensure protection throughout the year.
Healing Attributes:
Mugwort is a topical anesthetic with antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Fresh, crushed mugwort leaves applied to the skin relieves burning, itching and pain and, with continued application, can help get rid of warts.
It is also said that coating your skin with mugwort juice before exposure to poison oak will prevent a rash.
It is said that chewing fresh mugwort leaves will help relieve fatigue and clear the mind. A tea of the roots was used also for this purpose.
An infusioni of fresh leaves can be used for chronic stomach complaints and to stimulate the appetite.
Mugwort has also been used in Europe to induce abortions. It helps strengthen contractions and it is used in a compress to promote labor and help expel the afterbirth. It is also used to help regulate the menstrual cycle and ease painful menstruation and the onset of menopause. Use in combination with ginger in a tea to soothe difficult menstruation.
Interestingly, it has also been used in China to prevent miscarriage and ease excessive menstrual bleeding.
It is used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine to make Moxas to cure rheumatism and to correct fetal position prior to delivery. The fluff is carefully removed and rolled into a cylinder which is heated and placed near pressure points to relieve pain. This method is called moxibustion.
It has been used for centuries for disorders and epilepsy, as it has mild sedative and antispasmodic properties.
An infusion of the dried leaves and flowers helps expel pinworms.
Mix the dry herb with honey and apply to bruises to fade them (could try this on hickies too).
Infusioni - 1 ounce dried herb to 1 pint boiling water. 5-10 minutes. Do not make too strong as it is very bitter.
Tincture i- Cover four ounces of fresh herb with 1 pint 100 proof alcohol, vodka, gin or brandy. Cover and keep in a dark place, shaking several times per day for two weeks.
Do not continue to take Artemesias for more than 1 week. Break for several weeks before taking mugwort again as regular use of mugwort can cause nervous issues.
Culinary Use:
Mugwort has a slightly bitter taste. It is used to season fish and meat, especially game and is a traditional seasoning for Christmas Goose in Germany. It is also used to flavor rice cakes in Asia.
Before hops, it was used to flavor beer. For this purpose, the plant should be gathered while in flower and dried before use.
Practical Kitchen Witchery:
Mugwort is considered a noxious weed in some of the United States. Check with your States laws before planting as some carry heavy fines for planting certain plants.
Mugwort should never be used during pregnancy or lactation or by anyone who has pelvic inflammatory issues as it causes uterine contractions and can be passed through the mother's milk.
Mugwort should not be used for more than one week continuously. Continued, habitual use of mugwort can cause nervous problems, liver damage and convulsions.
Some people have topical allergies to mugwort. Test some on your skin before using.